The Chemistry of Water

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Water is interesting and intriguing. Without water there is no life as we know it. We humans take water for granted.

(1. Describe how water molecules are bonded) Water's molecular structure is bonded together via covalent chemical bond, in which "each hydrogen nucleus is bound to the central oxygen atom by a pair of electrons that are shared between them." (http://goo.gl/ktSTT)

(2. Describe how the positive and negative charges of water are distributed.) Water is considered electrically neutral. The charges--positive and negative--of water are not uniformly distributed.

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The negative charge of water is located towards the oxygen side of the molecule, while the positive charge is located towards the hydrogen side.

(3. Describe the chemistry of water that allows an insect to walk on water.) The surface of water acts like a layer of elasticity when a small weight is placed upon it. This phenomenon is called the surface tension of water.

(4. What is unique about water and its density?) Typically most substances when they changes phases from liquid to a solid, the substance increases its mass. Not water. When water turns into a solid (ice), its mass decreases, and that's why ice floats on top of water.